Shea Moisture Has Issued an Apology and Pulled Its Controversial "Hair Hate" Ad

No one likes to see a beloved hair care brand make a major misstep, but such is the case of Shea Moisture's latest campaign. Debuted this week as part of the brand's Get the Love campaign, the spot at the center of the controversy features one woman of color with loose curls, a redhead, and a blond discussing the different states of "hair hate" they've experienced—and found their way out thanks to Shea Moisture.

On the surface it checks out: self-acceptance, empowerment, and self-love, all good things. Except, given the brand's standing as a go-to for women of color, and particularly black women with kinky and tightly coiled hair, many read it in a different light—as the brand prioritizing all voices over the loyal following that helped them reach their current state.

As the social media response pointed out, many took issue with the "stop hate" campaign's not focusing on the hair type that statistically faces the most discrimination. Everyone has their own hair journey, but in centering the spot around two of three women with basically straight hair, there's some erasure in action. As people have mentioned on social media, white women haven't lived the experience of feeling like your hair is "wrong." Until recently (and still ongoing), society's beauty standards have told black women they need to go to extreme lengths like relaxers for so-called good hair. So yes, everyone can be dissatisfied, and self-acceptance is a personal journey. But as the response has demonstrated, the experience of hair hate that the ad claims to combat isn't quite as universal as they're making it out to be.

While there's a mix of responses on social media—ranging from those claiming an overreaction to calls to boycott SheaMoisture—many expressed their disappointment that the brand didn't include more of their target audience.

Faced with the backlash, the brand quickly apologized and removed the spot. The apology states that its intention wasn't to disrespect the community, and while it wanted to include "several different perspectives to show the breadth and depth of each person's hair journey," it's pledged to do better (read the full apology below).

Especially after the recent controversy over whether or not Shea Moisture has changed its formula, there was an outpouring of dismay over the perceived abandonment. While it's TBD if the brand will resume its former standing, judging by the apology before, they'd like to make amends.

Read Shea Moisture's full apology, below:

"Please know that our intention was not – and would never be – todisrespect our community, and as such, we are pulling this pieceimmediately because it does not represent what we intended tocommunicate. You guys know that we have always stood for inclusion inbeauty and have always fought for our community and given them creditfor not just building our business but for shifting the beautylandscape. So, the feedback we are seeing here brings to light a veryimportant point. While this campaign included several different videosshowing different ethnicities and hair types to demonstrate thebreadth and depth of each individual’s hair journey, we mustabsolutely ensure moving forward that our community iswell-represented in each one so that the women who have led thismovement never feel that their hair journey is minimized in any way.We are keenly aware of the journey that WOC face – and our work willcontinue to serve as the inspiration for work like the PerceptionInstitute’s Good Hair Study/Implicit Association Test that suggeststhat a majority of people, regardless of race and gender, hold somebias towards women of color based on their textured or natural hair.So, you’re right. We are different – and we should know better. Thankyou all, as always, for the honest and candid feedback. We hear you.We’re listening. We appreciate you. We count on you. And we’re alwayshere for you. Thank you, #SheaFam, for being there for us, even whenwe make mistakes. Here’s to growing and building together…"